Distributor head for grain tubes



Nov. 3, 1953 R. A. GERBER DISTRIBUTOR HEAD FOR GRAIN TUBES 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 5o, 195o Il hh Nov. 3, 1953 R. A. GERBER 2,657,782

DISTRIBUTOR HEAD FOR GRAIN TUBES Filed June 30, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l R. A. GERBER DISTRIBUTOR HEAD FOR GRAIN TUBES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 3, 1953 Filed June 30, 1950 7 M Il. L of@ ,alix fw@ 7J Z 3 satented Nov. 3, 195g iii:

Application June al,y 1950, serial Nq. 171 ,4379.

"' ","fiCaiei1i My invention relates to lower output ends. of delivery chutes and the upper input. ends of a plurality of verticallydisposed receiving ducts in side-by-siderelation. Such devices are commonly used in grain eleva-l tors and warehouses, wherein both, grains of varying kinds and grains of the same kind but of varying qualities are stored. In a given set-1111);.

ci this type all incoming grains pass through the delivery chute to a selected one of said vertically disposed receiving ducts. v

wheel mounted heads M or trucks adapted to be interposedbetweenthe,A

With all delivery heads heretoforel developed,

it has been extremely diicult to obtain `such alignment between the deliverychute (working through said delivery headgand a selectedpne oi said receiving ducts, as-willprevent some.

spillage of the grain intended for said selected receiving duct into an adjacent delivery duct.

The primary object of my invention is the provision 0I" a delivery head which will make it possible to obtain perfect registration between the delivery duct, acting through said delivery head, with any selected one of saidducts--and` in this manner to avoid commingling of different stocks or of different gradesof the same stock.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the above type, which may be operated eiciently byfremote control. j A still further Vobject ofH my` invention isjthe provision of a head of the above typiby. Which it K is possible to determine :by remote control.

whether perfect registration has been obtained.:

between said head and a selected` one of said,A

ducts.

A seu further object of my'invefition eine provision of a device of the class descrbedgwhich is relatively inexpensive to produce, `rugged. in

construction, and durable in use.

The above and stili further objects of my iiivention will become apparent from the Vfollowing detailed speciiication, appended claims, and at tached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, acters indicate like parts throughout theseveral views: i

wherein like chaff Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in sideelevation`I of a portion of thedistribution oor of `fat-grain-` elevator, illustrating the use of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view correfsponding"to"thev coupler portion of Fig. l, on a greatlyenlarged Ascale;

some parts being broken away and some parts shown in section; i

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, 'but showing Ia different. position of `sor 1f1eof-the parts-. as., f u, i'

Cl. 193-3) f Fig. 4 -is a' fragmentary the line 4-4 `of Fig. f1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in side elevation; of a mechanism formoving thedelivery chute l:

and coupler to the variousreceiving duct openings;

on theline 6 6 of Fig, 2

and f i Fig. 'I is an enlarged fragmentary-detail i section, taken onthefline` 1 1 of Fig.2.

Referring with greater detail tothe drawings.; thenumeral Iindicates in litsentirety ythe* open y upper vendof a duct system arranged to convey grain to various bins, knot shown, in a conventional elevator. -As shown,l ythe duct openings 2 are arranged in side-by-side relationship preferably a relatively short distance above, or even ush with the distribution-floor of the elevator. Grain Aor other like material isfed selectively tothe duct openings 2 by a conveyor'chute il` the `upper` end of which communicates with a-f hopper 4 that is adapted to receive material from an elevator boot or'the like, not shown. The chute `3 is made-up of telescopingsections 5 and 6 the former of which has its upperend pivotally connected to the .lower end of the hopper llas indicated at'l.

tion 8 on the chute section 5 and a pair of baiiies V9 serve to Vprevent grain from spilling end wall element I5 .terminates at' its upper end in a hinge IJ to Which is 'pivotally mountedthe lower end of a cross-sectionally U.shaped auxiliary chute I8 which extends above the head I0 l rand partially embraces the -lower end portion vof the chute section 6. The upper end of the auxiliary chute I8 is biased toward the chute section 6 by a coil .tension spring `ISI havingits opposite ends secured, one to the .auxiliary chute l I8 as indicated at 20 `and the other end to a hook detail., partlyn man' f and partly in section, rtakensubstantially. on.

Figgis va vertical section taken substantiallyon kan enlarged scale;

As indicated by dotted lines in; Fig.lf,thechute is moveable about the axis oit, the pivot 'IA whereby grain may be fedto .various Y ductopenings 2. .A funnel-like upper end por-.-r

coupler I3 extends upwardly a greater distance than the wall element I5 and terminates in a hinge connection 22 which pivotally anchors the lower chute section 6 to the coupler I3.

The side wall elements I4 extend laterally in opposite directions beyond the end wall elements I5 and I6 and have mounted therein horizontally disposed axles 23. The axles 23 are in spaced parallel relationship laterally outwardly of the adjacent end wall elements I5 and I6 and have journal mounted wheels 24 at opposite ends thereof. The mounting wheels 24 are provided with anges 25 which engage the inner edge portions of the tracks II to prevent sideways motion of the head I with respect to the duct openings 2. With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the axles 23 extend outwardly through horizontally disposed slots 26 in the U-shaped frame I2. Although not shown, the slots 26 occur in both sides of the frame I2. A plurality, as shown three, of coil tension springs 21 are one each connected at one of their ends to one of a plurality of anchoring hooks 28 on the end wall element I6 and at their other ends one each to one of a plurality of eyebolts 29 fast on the intermediate portion of the frame I2.

The coupler I3 terminates at its lower end closely above the duct openings 2 and is formed with a depending peripheral rectangular flange 30 which encompasses the lower central portions of the side elements I4 and the wall elements I and I6, each side of the iiange 3U being in spaced parallel relationship to an adjacent wall element of the coupler I3. A rectangular skirt 3| is mounted for vertical movements between the ange 30 and the wall elements encompassed thereby into and out of a selected one of the duct openings 2. The opposite end walls of the skirt 3| are provided with upstanding arms 32 which project upwardly through openings 33 in the ange 30 and which are connected at their upper ends one each to one of a pair of cam members 34. As shown, the cam members 34 are provided with laterally outwardly projecting studs which project through suitable openings in the upper end portions of the arms 32, said arms being secured thereto by nuts or burrs 36. The cam members 34 are each mounted for vertical sliding movements in a pair of guideways 31 on the opposite wall elements I4 and at their lower ends have cam acting surfaces which engage cooperating cam acting surfaces on cam members 38, one each welded or otherwise rigidly secured to opposite sides of the frame I2. A pair of coil tension springs 38 have their upper ends one each looped over one of the studs 35 and lower ends one each secured to one of a pair of anchoring hooks 40 on opposite walls of the flange 30. The springs 39 supplement the force of gravity in biasing the skirt 3| toward its downwardly extended position whereby to maintain the cam members 34 in operative engagement with their cooperating cam members 38.

From the above, it should be obvious that movement of the frame I2 from the left to the right with respect to Fig. 2 and against bias 0f the springs 21 will cause the cam members 38 to raise the cam members 34 together with the skirt 3| against bias of the springs 38 to a position where the skirt 3| is drawn upwardly out of one of the duct openings 2, as indicated in Fig. 3. Of course movement of the frame I2 in the opposite direction will permit the skirt 3| to descend into a selected one of the duct openings 2, the slots 26 in the frame I2 permitting relative movement between the frame I2 and the coupler I3.

Means for moving the head I0 out of registration with one duct opening 2 toward registration with another thereof, and for effecting relative movement between the coupler I3 and the frame I2 comprises a cable 4I connected at one end to an eyebolt 42 on a yoke 43 welded or otherwise secured to opposite side wall elements I4, and having its other end suitably fastened to one end of a link chain 44, the other end of which is secured to a cable 45 running through eyebolts 46 fast on the intermediate portion of the frame I2. The cable 4I runs over a pair of pulleys 41 and 48, and the chain 44 runs over a suitably journalled idler pulley 49 and a drive sprocket 50 which is journalled to the intermediate portion of an inverted U-shaped bracket 5| pivotally mounted to a supporting structure 52 as indicated at 53. A metallic tape or ribbon 54 is secured at its opposite ends to the opposite ends of the chain 44 and contains indicia stamped or otherwise printed thereon whereby the operator may be informed as to the location of the head I8 with respect to a given duct opening 2. The tape 54 runs over a pair of axially spaced pulleys 55 one on each side of the sprocket 58 and under a window opening 5G in the supporting structure 52. The sprocket 50 is adapted to be rotated by manipulation of a crank 51 which extends inwardly through an arcuate slot 58 in the one side wall of the supporting structure 52 whereby to move the head I8 from registration of the coupler I3 thereof with any one of the duct openings 2 to another selected duct opening.

As above indicated, the skirt 3| is biased toward entry into the several duct openings 2 and must be raised thereabove to permit movement of the head I8 from registration of one duct opening to another thereof. This is accomplished by swinging the U-shaped bracket 5I from its full line position in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position thereof. This swinging movement causes the frame I2 to move laterally with respect to the coupler I3 and the cam members 38 to raise the cam members 34 and the skirt 3| associated therewith. It should be noted that the head I0 can be moved from registration with one duct opening 2 to another duct opening only when the bracket 5I is in its dotted line position of Fig. 5. When the head I0 has reached an approximate position of registration with a selected duct opening 2, the bracket 5I may be released to its full line position of Fig. 5 thus causing the bottom edge of the skirt 3| to rest upon a partition between adjacent duct openings 2. Further movement of the crank 51 will place the coupler I3 into complete registration with the selected duct opening, whereupon the skirt 3| will descend thereinto.

From the above it will be obvious that I have provided a mechanism capable of accomplishing the objectives set forth; and While I have shown and described a commercial embodiment oi my novel device, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, an angular frame including a pair of spaced parallel side frame members, a vertically-disposed open-ended tubular coupler disposed between said side frame members, a pair of axles extending through said frame and said coupler in spaced relation longitudinally of said side frame members, supporting wheels on opposite ends of said axles laterally outwardly of said frame and coupler, said frame members being provided with horizontally-extended slots for permitting limited sliding movements of said axles and said coupler with respect thereto, means yielding biasing said coupler toward one limit of its movement with respect to said frame, a skirt secured to the lower end of said coupler for telescopic extending and retracting movements, a pair of cooperating lcam members one thereof being mounted on said frame for common movement therewith in a horizontal plane and the other thereof being slidably mounted on said coupler for movements in a vertical plane, means for coupling said last-mentioned cam member to said skirt, and yielding means for biasing said skirt toward its extended position, movement of said frame With respect to said coupler in a direction against the bias of said first-mentioned yielding means causing retracting movements to be imparted to said skirt against the bias of said last-mentioned yielding means.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of elongated tracks straddling a plurality of vertically disposed duct openings immediately therebelow, a head slidably mounted for longitudinal movements on said track, said head including a frame, a vertically disposed open-ended tubular coupler mounted in the intermediate portion of said frame for limited sliding movements with respect thereto, means yieldingly biasing said coupler toward one end of said frame, supporting Wheels disposed laterally outwardly of said coupler and mounted upon said tracks, a skirt secured to the lower end of said coupler for telescopic lowering and raising movements into and out of selected ones of said duct openings, yielding means biasing said skirt in a lowering direction toward said duct openings, cam means associated with said frame and said skirt operative to raise said skirt against bias of said last mentioned yielding means, cable means having one end attached to said frame and other to said coupler and adapted to impart longitudinal movements to said head upon said track in opposite directions whereby to selectively register said skirt with a given one of said duct openings, and means associated with the said cable for moving said frame with respect to said coupler.

3. The structure deiined in claim 2 in which said last mentioned means comprises a drive pulley engaging and supporting a portion of said cable and a movable supporting element journalling said pulley, movement of said movable supporting element in one direction relative to said head eiectively shortening said cable and causing the frame to be moved with respect to said coupler whereby to raise said skirt.

4. In a device of the class described, a pair of elongated tracks straddling a plurality of vertically disposed duct openings immediately therebelow, a wheeled head mounted for longitudinal movements on said track, said head including a tubular skirt and a movable actuator for imparting raising movements to said skirt, said skirt being biased toward a lowering position to cause registration thereof with a selected one of said duct openings, a looped cable having one end secured to said actuator at one end of said head and having its opposite end secured to said head in opposed relationship to said rst mentioned cable end, means for applying tension to the ends of said cable to cause movements of said actuator in one direction with respect to said head whereby to raise said skirt out of registration with a given duct opening, and means associated with said cable for imparting movements to said head on said track in opposite directions.

RICHARD A. GERBER.

References Cited n the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 392,171 Tromanhauser Oct. 30, 1888 907,848 Morehouse Dec. 29, 1908 945,975 Munn et al Jan. 11, 1910 1,176,064 Kavanagh Mar. 21, 1916 1,192,485 Wray July 25, 1916 

